Locking gas valve



April 22, 1952 s. D. FEIGHNER 2,594,141

LOCKING GAS VALVE Filed Oct. 22, 1948 INVENTOR. w/maa LV & fmw/Aasfi '1 BY 6 I Patented Apr. 22, 1952 UNITED STATE PATE 2,594,141

LOCKING'GAS VALVE Shirley D. Feighner, Wayne County, Mich; Applica'tion' Gctolier 22, 1948*, sex-far Na; 56,029"

2 G-laims. 1

This invention relates to self docking valves and in particular to self-locking gas valv'e's, oil valves, water valves and the like.

In gas, water and other public utility services, and in piping where service is desired to be Shut off and maintained off, the shut-off valve is ofttimes wired in its closed position and then sealed by impressing a lead or other type of seal or wafer on the sealing wire employed. This means serves only as a telltale in the event the sealing wire is removed to open the valves Public utility and other services and institutions lose hundreds of thousands of dollars annually as a result of the withdrawal of gas, steam, oil, water, gasoline and the like from lines that have been shut off but which are tampered with by unauthorized persons.

With the foregoing in view, the primary objectof the invention is to provide, in a gas valve or like valve, means for automatically locking the valve when turned to its off position which is relatively obscure and which valve can only be turned on again by the application and use of a specific tool.

Another object of the invention is to provide a self-locking valve which may be turned off at any time, which automatically becomes locked in its oil position, which can only be turned on by wedging uniformly at specific points at opposite sides of the valve, which will bind in its locked off position if not wedged uniformly to its release position, and which requires a specific type of tool to "release from its locked position to permit it to be turned on after once being turned off.

A further object of the invention is to provide a self-locking valve having features heretofore mentioned which may be easily and readily applied to standard types of tapered stemmed gas valves and the like at little expense and with assurance that only aproperly equipped mechanic having the necessary know-how may open the valve once it has been shut off.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a self-locking gas valve embodying the invention showing the tapered valve plug thereof locked in its off position, the specific tool required to unlock the tapered valve plug being indicated in dot and dash lines. a

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view simila to Fig. 1 showing the tapered valve plug of the requires to "unisex th' Strif -looking gas vane F g.- i is a view perspective oi the melting: element or thelodiifig assemtiy preieiabiy em ployd.

Referring now th'ediawing' wherein use mer'als" refer to like aria corresponding" parts throughout the several views; the particular" an bodimeritfof the iriyentiondi'sclosed for the perposes-of illustration is Slab Wit connectionwith a gas valve" to composed of a housing H having longitudinally disposed threadek l apertures: f!

the exagon ends [3 thereof into which piping 4 is threaded, the said housing H also having a tapered aperture vrtically therethroueh forming a tapered seat' l iintowhich acomplenientary' tapered shut ofitelement lli isrotatably mounted; The said; shut=off element iG is preferably provicled with avertically some aperture ll there througn and a rBdtafigUMiI key l5 on the top thereof by meansbf which-the s'hut-ofielemerit' is may be rotated from its "bit" position in Fig. 1' to its (in ensities at right an les- The bottom annular face f9 61? thevalvehouse ingji ismachined or g r'oifind' smooth as indicated in Fig. 4; and is provided with; pair of eia iieit rical'ly disposed grooves 20,; bottom of the tapered shut-off element I iG iS' provided with an axially disposed cylindrical stem :1; which is smaller in diameter than the base" 6f the tapered portion l6llof the'said sh'ut dff element I 6 form ing a shoulder '22. Thesaid stem 2! of the shutoff element is is again re'duc'ed' m siz'efat thelowr end thereof forming aseeerid shoulder 23 and a cylindrical 24 which is" threaded Che side of the said" (iyl irid'rioal stem if is preferably flattened to forma keyind'icated by the numeral 25.-

A cupped locking element having an aperture" IT axially therethr'ough; formed at 28 t0 3 telescope neatly over and become keyed to the stem 2| of the tapered shut-01f element I9 is provided with a pair of locking cars 29 which are formed to become disposed into the said diametrically disposed grooves 20 formed in the annular bottom IQ of the valve housing The said cupped locking element 26 is telescoped in keyedrelationship onto stem 2| of the shut-off element I9 with the locking ears 29 thereof disposed in the grooves 20 in the annular bottom |9 of the valve housing i. .A compression spring 39 is then telescoped over the stem 2| of the shut-off element IS. A cup shaped cap 3| which telescopes neatly over the outside of the cupped locking element 25 is then threaded onto the threaded cylindrical nib 24 of the shut-off element Hi to refusal against the shoulder 23, and is locked onto the said locking element 26 by peening as indicated by the numeral 32;

The construction constantly urges the locking ears 29 of the cup shaped locking element 26 towardand against the annular bottom face |9--of the valvehousing ment l6 of the valve I9 is turned to its off position as indicated in Fig. 1, the locking ears 29 dropinto the'grooves 20 provided-in the bottom When the shut-off eleface |9"of the valve housing whereupon it is impossible to turn" the shut-off element |6 from itsofi'position to-its open position without employing a specific tool to spring the locking element26-to a position where the locking ears 29 thereof are out of engagement withthe valve housing I. Thus, it will be observed, that when theshut-ofi element I9 of the valve I0 is in any position except its oiTposition, the locking ears 29 of the locking element 2B'ride on the annular face H) of the valve housing The mere turning of the shut-01f element Hi to itsflofi position automatically locks the valve |0 .oif.

As best indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, an unlocking tool 40 is employed to urge the locking element 26 out 10f its locked position wherein it is hel'd by the; compression spring 39. Because ofthe ;fact that; the base of the cup shaped looking element 29 is rather thin and because it is keyed; to and fits neatly over the stem 2 of the-shut-off element |6, the said cup'shaped lockingelement-ZB mustbe moved axially along the said. ste'm 2 of the shut-01f element I6 or it will .bind. I' his prevents prying the cup shaped lockingelenientfifi away from the annular face I9 of thevalve housing H from only one side of the valveJ ;;The' particular and specific unlockingtool 40Jis-in the order of a G-clamp composed mac-na having a tapered wedge 42 fixedat oneend thereof facing a like tapered wedge v43Tjournaled on the cylindrical end of a thumb-screw 45 threaded through the other end of theisaid C-frame 4|. The tapered wedges42 and tears oppositely disposed and are preferably providedwith a curved blunt nose. and are formed the width of the locking cars 29 of the locking element 26, the grooves 20 formed in the annular bottom H) of the valve housing being slightly wider.

Fig. 1' shows the shut-off valve element IS in its off position and locked in its offiposi tion by the locking element 26. The unlocking tool 40 is shown in Fig. l in dot and dash lines positioned to unlock the shut-off valve element I6. Fig. 2-shows the unlocking tool 40 urged by turning the thumb screw 45 thereof into the grooves 20 formed in the bottom of the valve housing II and separating the locking element 26 from the bottom l9 of the valve housing sufliciently to permit the shut-'ofi valve element IS to be rotated to its on position which is ninety degrees with respect to its off position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. After the shut-off valve element H5 is turned from its off position, the locking cars 29 of the locking element 26 ride on the annular bottom I9 of the valve housing and the unlocking tool 40 is removed.

Anyone tampering with a self-locking valve embodying the invention who does not have the unlocking tool 49 or the know-how would jamb the locking element 26. The self-locking valve as herein provided is inexpensive and does not require keys or a master-key set-up which is prohibitive in cost and cumbersome in public utility operations. The use of valves embodying the invention does not preclude the use of the wire and sealing wafer type of sealing off presently employed and can be used conjointly therewith. The use of self-locking valves embodying the invention obviously will materially reduce and substantially eliminate the unauthorized opening of service valves for gas, water, oil and the like, once they have been shut off.

Although but a single embodiment of the invention has been disclosed and described in detail, it is obvious that many changes may be made, in the size, shape, arrangement and detail of the several elements of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a valve of the class described, a valve housing including a tapered shut-off element rotatably mounted therein, an axially disposed cylindrical stem extending from the bottom of the said tapered shut-off element formed to serve as a key and reduced in size at its lower end, the bottom of the said valve housing being provided with an annular face having diametrically disposed notches formed therein extending through the outer periphery of the said housing, a cupped locking element including a pair of looking ears formed to enter the said notches in the said housing when in registry therewith reciprocatingly mounted on the cylindrical stem of the said tapered shut-off element and keyed thereto for rotation therewith a cup shaped cap telescoping neatly over the outside of the said cupped locking element fixed on the lower end of the cylindrical stem of the said shut-off element, and a compression spring disposed around the cylindrical stem of the said shut-off element interposed between the locking.

element and the cap thereover constantly urging the said locking ears of the said locking ele ment against the bottom of the valve housing or into the notches therein when the shut-off element is rotated to bring the said locking ears of the locking element in registry therewith, the said locking ears of the locking element being so formed as to accommodate like oppositely disposed tapered wedges for moving the locking element axially out of the notches in the bottom of the said valve housing when applied diametrically from both sides of the valve housing, the said locking ears and notches being complementarily formed whereby to admit of moving the locking ears out of the notches in the valve housing responsive only to like oppositely disposed wedges applied simultaneously in the said notches, the clearance between the cupped looking element and the stem of the shut-off element being such as will cause the locking element to bind on the stem of the shut-off elethem; ii the Wedging of the locking element is accomplished in other than a uniform manner from both sides of the valve simultaneously.

2. In a valve of the class described, a valve housing including a shut-01f element rotatably mounted therein, a cylindrical stem extending from the said tapered shut-off element, the said valve housing adjacent the said cylindrical stem having diametrically disposed notches formed therein, a locking element including a pair of locking ears formed to enter the said notches in the said housing when in registry therewith reciprocatingly mounted on and keyed to the cylindrical stem of the said shut-oii element, a cap telescoping neatly over the outside of the said locking element fixed on the-lower end of the cylindrical stem of the said: shut-off element, and a compression spring interposed between the locking element and thejcap thereover constantly urging the said locking ears of the said locking element into the notches in the said valve housing when the shut-off element is rotated to bring the said locking ears of the locking element in registry therewith, the said locking cars and notches being complementarily formed wherehy to admit of moving the locking ears out of the notches in the valve housing responsive to like oppositely disposed wedges applied simultaneously in the said notches, the clearance between the cupped locking element and the,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,242,392 Underwood Oct. 9, 1917 1,707,00'. Harper Mar. 26, 1929 2,120,695 Dlesk June 14, 1938 2,217,963 Mueller Oct. 15, 1940 

